Cellophane wrapper tearer



June 8, 1965 J. N. MENDOZA CELLOPHANE WRAPPER TEARER Filed April 12,1963 Illilllllillllfll l l INVENTOFI/ United States Patent 3,187,983CELLOPHANE WRAPPER TEARER Jose N. Mendoza, P.0. Box 2797, Sampaloc,

. Manila, Philippines Filed Apr. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 272,732 2 Claims.(Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to a tearer of severable Wrappers,and more particularly, to a tearer that can be moved in any direction ofmotion.

It is a well known fact that severable wrappers of packed goods,particularly wrappers made of Cellophane and other cellulose sheetmaterial, aredifiicult to tear, not only because of the nature of thematerial itself, but also because said wrappers are carefully pasted andair-tight so as to preserve the original properties of the commoditycontained therein. To remedy such a situation, various devices foropening or tearing severable wrappers were introduced. However, with theexception of one or two, said opening deviceshave a loose end or aprotruding member, which aside from being an obstruction to the wrappingof the packed goods, is also an obstacle to the actual handling of thewrapped package, especially, to the gross packing of the wrappedpackages. Moreover, said loose end or protruding member may be pulledunintentionally or accidentally, creating an opening on the wrap per.Such an opening is enough to cause damage to some packed goods ifconsumption of said goods is put off to a later time. There are,however, several tearing or opening devices which do not have a looseendor protruding accessory, but the manipulation of said devices tendsto mar the material enclosed within the package due to the effortinvolved in the operation. Furthermore, said devices are applicable onlyto packed goods with plain paper packages.

It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide apractical and convenient device for facilitat-. ing the tearing ofwrappers of packed goods with severable wrapper without the use of aloose end or a protruding accessory.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wrapper tearer ofpacked goods with severable wrapper, which, aside from being efficientin tearing said wrapper, can be operated in such a manner that it willnot mar the material enclosed within the package. e

A further object of this invention is to provide a wrap- .per tearer forpacked goods with severable wrapper, which can be easily embodied insuch a package. Said tearer will not be an obstruction to the process ofwrapping, nor to the actual handling or gross packing of the wrappedpackage.

' Still a further object of this invention is to provide a tainedtherein, said tearer will serve as a lasting form of advertisement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a wrapper tearer ofpacked goods with severable wrapper, which will not disturb the sealedcondition of the package.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawingswherein the tearer is illustrated in the form of a star. It should beunderstood, however,

3,187,983 Patented June 8, 1965 ice that said invention of a tearer maybe of any shape and design and the present disclosure of a star astearer is merely by way of example.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tearer in the form of a star.

FIG. 2 is an exaggerated side view of the tearer placed in-between thewrapper and the surface of the paper board container.

FIG. 3 is the plan view of the tearer showing a different form ofattachment.

FIG. 4 is an exaggerated side view of the tearer shown in FIG. 3 placedin-between the wrapper and the surface of the container.

FIG. 5 is the plan view of the tearer showing still another form ofattachment.

FIG. 6 is an exaggerated side view of the tearer shown in FIG. 5 with apaper board base and a paper strip, placed in-between the wrapper andthe surface of the container.

FIG. 7 is the plan view of a paper strip used as a form of attachmentused in FIGURES 6 and 7.

FIG. 8 is the perspective view of the cellophane wrapped package showingthe tearer in place.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the tearer is a star-shaped hard material withthe elevated outer section 2 as defined by scored circle 3, showingenclosed section 4 and the small section 5 at which point the bottom 6of the tearer 1 is slightly pasted .to the surface 7 of the package 8 asshown inFIG; 2. a

FIG. 2 illustrates the tearer 1 showing the elevated section 2 creatinga point of weakening 9 on the wrapper 10 between the tearer 1 and thepackage 8.

The tearer 1 is of a hard material characterized by having slightlyserrated and burred peripheral cutting edges 11 to facilitate therupturing of the wrapper 10.

The small section 5 at the bottom of the tearer 1 is slightly pasted onthe surface 7 of the package 8. Said 1 operation can be done by hand orby a suitable machine whether before or after the goods to be packed isplaced within the paper board container. It can be observed that, withthe tearer 1 in place, the conventional wrapping .process .can easily beaccomplished resulting to the wrapped package shown in FIG. 8.

' As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the subject opening device, tearer 1, isshown with an adhering agent, paper base 12.

The paper base 12 has on one side 13 a moisture catalyzed adhesive thatadheres to the surface 7a of the package 8a. The paper base 12 is foldedover so that the same side 13 is attached to a small portion of thebottom 6a of the tearer 1.

Thebottom 6a of the tearer 1 is pasted to the lower portion of side 13of the paper base 12. The paper base 12 is then folded over and theremaining portion of the same side 13 is attached to the surface 7a ofthe package 8a. Said operation can be done by hand or by a suitablemachine, whetherbefore or after the goods to be packed is placed withinthe paper board box. It can be observed that, with the tearer 1 in placeand with the goods packed within the package 812, the conventionalprocess of wrapping can easily be accomplished resulting to the wrappedpackageshown in FIG. 8.

The tearer 1 as illustrated in FIG. 5 is shown with a paper board base14 pasted along scored lines 15 and 16. Scored lines 17 and 18 areopenings between the paper board base 14 and the tearer 1 through whichthe end portions 19 and 20 of the paper strip 21 are insertedrespectively. The end portions'19 and 20 of the paper strip 21 isdefined by scored lines 22 and 23 as shown in FIG. 7-over which said endportions are folded.

FIG. 6 illustrates the tearer 1 with the paper board base 14 and thepaper strip 21 adhering to the surface 7b of the package 812. The paperstrip 21 has on one side 14 a moisture catalyzed adhesive that adheresto the surface 7b of the package 8b. The tearer l is held temporarily inplace on the surface 712 of the package 8b by the end portions 19 and 20of the paper strip 21 which are inserted through the openings 17 and 18between the paper board base 14 and the tearer 1. A path of weakening 9bon the wrapper 10b is created by the combined thickness of the tearer 1,the paper board base 14, and the paper strip 21.

The paper board base 14 is pasted to the bottom 6b of the tearer alongthe scored lines 15 and 16. With the paper board base 14- in place,openings 17 and 18 are created through which the end portions 19 and 20of the paper strip 21 are inserted respectively. Then the side 24 of thepaper strip 21 is pasted to the surface 7b of the package 8b. Saidoperation can be done by hand or by a suitable machine whether before orafter the goods to be packed is placed within the paper board container.It can be observed, with the tearer 1 in place, the conventionalwrapping process can easily be accomplished, re-

sulting to the cellophane wrapped package shown in FIG. 8.

When it is desired to open the package, the side of the bulge created bythe tearer is engaged by the thumb and the forefinger of the user. Witha combined sidewise pressure by the nail of the thumb and downwardpressure by the forefinger on said side of the bulge, a shearing effeeton the wrapper is produced whereby a slit is formed leading to thecomplete tearing of said wrapper upon continuation of said movement. Itcan be observed that said tearing process can be accomplished regardlessof the shape of the tearer or the manner said tearer is made to I orlengthwise depending on the position of the attached tearer, with theother end of said tear strip pasted on a suitable spot on the packagesurface. It can be observed that, with the tearer and the attached tearstrip in place, the conventional process of wrapping can be easilyaccomplished.

When it is desired to open the package with the tearer and the tearstrip, the side of the bulge created by said tearer is engaged by thethumb and the forefinger of the user. With a combined sidewise pressureby 'the nail of the thumb and downward pressure by the forefinger onsaid side of the bulge, a slit is formed on the wrapper.

The tearer can now be tilted and pulled away from the package bytransferring the downward pressure .on the The tearer is made bypunching or cutting a piece of a hard material strip of suitable sizeand thickness or by molding plastic and the like in suitable molds.

It is to be understood that this invention of a tearer is not confinedto the specific construction, arrangements, and shape, as illustratedand described in the accompanying specification and drawings, and thatconsiderable modification maybe made to the manner of attachment of thetearer on the container without departing from the spirit of saidinvention.

What I claim:

1. A tearing device adapted for 'use between a card board package and aseverable wrapper comprising: a symbolically-shaped slitter memberhaving serrated and 'burred cutting edges, said cutting edges beingslightly elevated and horizontally directed with respect to thecardboard. package, and means for attaching said slitter mem- V ber,said means consisting of a narrow strip paper base board package and aseverable wrapper comprising: a

slitter member having slightly elevated and horizontally disposedserrated and burr-ed cutting edges, means attaching said slitter to theouter surface of the cardboard package, said means consisting of a paperbase with opposite ends pasted to the bottom of the tearer, and a paperstrip having on a small portion of one side thereof a moisture:catalyzed adhesive bondingadaptable to adhere on the package surfaceand with the ends folded over and inserted through the opening'betweenthe slitter member opposite side of said tearer.' With around-a-bout'motion Y of the same hand holding the tearer, an evenlyformed slit and the paper base to provide a temporary interlockingei'fect thereby preventing the slitter member from moving about withinthe wrapper prior to the actual opening of the wrapped package.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,636,390 7/27Solas 229-51 X 1,863,082 6/32 Blackburn 20641.5 -2,178,l57 10/39Anderson 206-5L5 X 2,275,Q91 3/42 Reynolds Q. 22951 2,392,479 1/46Humbert 229-5l X 2,533,255 12/50 Will a 229-51 2,974,787 3/61 Cooper'206-632 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 4,690 2/10 Great Britain.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

1. A TEARING DEVICE ADAPTED FOR USE BETWEEN A CARDBOARD PACKAGE AND ASEVERABLE WRAPPER COMPRISING: A SYMBOLIALLY-SHAPED SLITTER MEMBER HAVINGSERRATED AND BURRED CUTTING EDGES, SAID CUTTING EDGES BEING SLIGHTLYELEVATED AND HORIZONTALLY DIRECTED WITH RESPECT TO THE CARDBOARDPACKAGE, AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID SLITTER MEMBER, SAID MEANSCONSISTING OF A NARROW STRIP PAPER BASE HAVING ON ONE SIDE A MOISTURECATALYZED ADHESIVE BONDING ADAPTABLE TO ADHERE ON THE PACKAGE SURFACEAND FOLDED OVER SO THAT THE SAME SIDE IS ATTACHED TO A SMALL PORTION OFTHE BOTTOM OF THE SLITTER MEMBER.